The event was amazing and I met so many great people. I enjoyed the vibe and the spirit of the event. If you’ve never attended a comic con, now’s the time to dive in. There were some great celebrities – people that don’t always make the headlines, but deserve the credit and recognition for their amazing work, no less than the industry heavy-weights. There was also a great variety of cosplay on display. The costumes were incredible! I admire the dedication to the art and craft of cosplay.

My inclusion as a vendor was all very last-minute, but it worked out wonderfully. My family and I put together a great display area for the books and posters and I prepped a bunch of material to go on the table, including a box prize, full of sci-fi goodies. All things told, it was a solid sales weekend and I also created a certain reciprocity with individuals that I can cash in on later.

I had a great time and learned a lot from the experience, but more than that it was wonderful to be in amongst the audience seeking out and engaging with artists, writers, creators and developers, and who showed a genuine interest in We Are Mars.

A pair of iguana lizards were also visiting the comic con with their attentive owners.

This kind of immersive marketing experience really worked for me, and I plan to make the effort to attend more shows in future.

What was so important for me was to feel as if I belonged there. I have been a life-long sci-fi geek and this place and these people – they are my tribe. To be there just lit me up. The excitement and energy of the event made the days pass quickly, and now I’m hungry for more.

There’s a special magic to comic cons and fans cons. It’s an environment where you can be anything you want to be and no one will judge you (unless you entered one of the contests!). I like that there are so many people who are outliers, like myself, who are drawn to these conventions. I wish I had started attending these shows earlier in my life, but access and cashflow were always part of the reasons not to. Now, they are springing up all over the place, making it possible to be right where the action is. I do still have the big dream of attending San Diego Comic Con one day. Maybe I’ll go there as a vendor at some point. Wouldn’t that be nice? For now, I will be content to enjoy more local shows and ease into this alternative universe that I already love so much.

Lee Tockar, an Emmy-nominated voice actor during a Q&A session on the main stage